There is anxiety among some key strategists of President Goodluck Jonathan over a “curious secret” letter written to their boss by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recommended candidates for the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and four other key agencies.

He advised the President to remove the heads of the agencies to avoid what he called unnecessary lobbying and distractions.

But some of the President’s strategists are querying the motive of Obasanjo’s letter because, in their view, he is seeking to replace some Northerners who are heading the agencies with his candidates.

Some Emirs, who worked for Jonathan’s victory in the April election, are said to be unhappy with Obasanjo’s plans to remove Northerners in the agencies.

The Emirs’ suspicion of Obasanjo’s agenda followed a call at a meeting of the National Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the former President that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, should step down for a Southwest candidate in 2013.

Obasanjo made his five demands in a September 16 letter to the President.

In the letter, which The Nation stumbled on at the weekend, Obasanjo said he had observed with deep concern what he called the continued public outcry over the grossly poor performance of some Federal Government interventionist agencies, which he named.

“Some of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of these agencies are currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of corruption and their integrity in office has been tremendously eroded,” he said, adding:

“These mentioned agencies are critical to the realisation of the transformation agenda of your administration and their poor performances and low public ratings has (sic) the capacity to undermine the transformation agenda, hence the need to effect leadership changes in these agencies in order to achieve their target goals.

“In this connection, I am to strongly advise Mr. President to consider and approve the names of individuals earlier nominated for appointment as CEOs of these parastatals to take over from the existing CEOs.

“These new CEOs will be tasked to reform and reposition these agencies to fall in line with the transformation programme of the government.”

Obasanjo listed those who should replace the CEOs. He said they were chosen according to their experiences and “carefully selected by the PDP leadership and given to me as Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BOT)”.

Apparently to appease the President, a candidate has been recommended from Bayelsa State.

Obasanjo’s move has caused some disquiet in the North. Four of the agencies are headed by Northerners. Some Emirs are not happy with the “curious” proposals of the ex-President, sources told The Nation.

One said: “Why will Obasanjo try to cause disaffection between the President and the North at this critical period that Jonathan is trying to reconcile all groups? He is trying to shortchange the North by making it to lose four slots and gaining only two offices back.

“Nobody is happy with the plans of the ex-President that have leaked to Northern leaders. The President should ignore Obasanjo’s recommendations. These CEOs are midway into their tenure. The President should not be used to cause any conflict.

“We want Obasanjo to be more open by telling the nation who among the PDP leadership he consulted on the recommended candidates.”

Obasanjo’s plan for the PTDF has caused anxiety among some presidential strategists.

A source said: “Officially, it is strange for a former President to make observations and at the same time recommend candidates to replace officials heading some agencies.

“Besides, Obasanjo got his ‘facts’ wrong because only one among the heads of the five agencies, was recently quizzed by the EFCC. The letter is misleading because of its blanket conclusion on the heads of parastatals.

“More importantly, all heads of agencies are always subjected to quarterly assessments by security agencies, especially the State Security Services (SSS). So far, the records with the government have shown that they are performing well.

“We are also worried that Obasanjo has taken more than a passing interest in PTDF, which caused a crisis of confidence between him and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. What is his business with PTDF again?”

The Fifth Senate’s probe of the PTDF led to the mudslinging between Obasanjo and his ex-deputy Atiku.

The Senate Review Committee on the PTDF later submitted a report, which was dated March 20, 2007, referring Obasanjo to the Code of Conduct Bureau for what it called “further action”.

The committee said: “In respect of some projects commenced by the PTDF in 2006—Incorporation of Galaxy Backbone, purchase of computers and Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria’s rehabilitation – for which Mr. President gave approval and later got them ratified retroactively, the committee views the action of the President as illegal and therefore refers Mr. President to the Code of Conduct Bureau for further action.”

The presidential approvals were in respect of payment of N250m to a law firm for the incorporation of Galaxy Backbone; $10m for the purchase of computers for civil servants outside the scope of PTDF and N1billion for DICON.

Based on the committee’s report, two Abuja lawyers- Mr. Ugochukwu Osuagwu and Opara Ifeanyi - in 2008, asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to order the Code of Conduct Bureau to prosecute Obasanjo for alleged mismanagement.

But Obasanjo made a counter-claim, in a 38-page written address submitted to the court through his counsel, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).

Citing a list of 48 authorities, including past judgments, Obasanjo explained why he could not be prosecuted.

He said: “That after the Review Committee finished its work, it was taken back to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for ratification.

“That the Senate in plenary on the 10th of May 2007 overruled the decision of the Review Committee as far as the 1st Defendant (Obasanjo) was concerned, holding that the 1st Defendant acted in good faith to the benefit of the country.

“That a copy of the proceedings of the Senate in plenary on the 10th of May 2007 is hereby attached. That the Senate in plenary has the final say on issues referred to Committees.

“That the Plaintiffs are mischievously suppressing the fact that the Report of Senate Review Committee dated the 20th of March, 2007, which they relied on and the recommendation of the Committee that the 1st Defendant should be referred to the 2nd Defendant(Code of Conduct Bureau) for prosecution, was rejected and/ or refused by the Senate in plenary.”

Everything is Northereners, Dey re just selfish bastards. Dey dont offer d country any good and they are the ones that want to rule Nigeria and head all the parastatals and goverment agencies. President please sack them and empower others. As for Obasanjo, I believe now u can c ur mistakes, u didnt empower ur people wen u were dere thinking u were smart. Nigeria is all an for himself, Mago

Everything is Northereners, Dey re just selfish bastards. Dey dont offer d country any good and they are the ones that want to rule Nigeria and head all the parastatals and goverment agencies. President please sack them and empower others. As for Obasanjo, I believe now u can c your mistakes, u didnt empower your people wen u were dere thinking u were smart. Nigeria is all an for himself, Mago

am sure you won't repeat that if you knew your Grandfather was a northerner. By the way did you choose to be born a southerner that you claim?

Everything is Northereners, Dey re just selfish bastards. Dey dont offer d country any good and they are the ones that want to rule Nigeria and head all the parastatals and goverment agencies. President please sack them and empower others. As for Obasanjo, I believe now u can c your mistakes, u didnt empower your people wen u were dere thinking u were smart. Nigeria is all an for himself, Mago

Sometime people are just funny and i'm so sure soon some NL. will jump on this thread and begin attacking and insulting Obj without asking themselves a simple question like How can Obj be sending letter to Gej? Letter to do what? Does it really make sense saying a former president want to advise a president and he is sending his advise or recommendation through a letter? I'm not here to defend Obj but one thing is sure that man I know called Obj I doubt if he will do such[b](Letter!!!).[/b]

I was shocked when I read through the thread and at a point I read some Emir are not happy I just shook my head in a sorry mood please do we have any emir or does any emir exist anywhere in Nigeria? because the so called Emir if at existed they can not tell boko animals to stop, they are the one shielding and paving escape root for boko animals and they are still calling themselves Emir angry for PTDF matters.

Why is it that when it come to [b]OIL Hausa would always want to die as if it belong to them by the way if even Obj told Gej to remove them from the head of PTDF is their anything wrong in it? What is the usefulness of the North to Nigeria in the first place?[/b]

They are angry about PTDF but not angry about Boko animals is that not funny? Let the so called emir or whoever go and do their worst since Boko animal has come to stay so also if they are beign dump in any position so be it. I had lost my respect for this people totally I just dont want to hear anything about them any longer. No apology. Nonsense.

Obj, a well respected retired general would not send a secret letter that wuld be intercepted by even d most powerfuljuju man. By training and experience, he knows how best to convey a secret document.

It's just a political set up by restless minds in the north who feel very strongly that baba obj wants to wrestle power from their hands.

They better start thinking straight, nigeria is for everybody, there is no monopoly of portfolios anylonger

As usual with Nairaland the issue turns ethnic and nothing positive will ever come out of it. The relevant question I think is whether this letter was actually written by OBJ to his godsonGEJ. Even then its left for Nigerians to cope with what they selected elected - a puppet and zombie as president. As far as the North is concerned I dont expect any concern about fair play from the Southerners on NL. As far as they are concered the North should not have any political representation in Nigeria. They will of course quote ineffectiveness or embezzlement which peaked and is a showcase to the world as unbeatable in OBJ and GEJ (Southerners )time. The mediocrity we are observing is perhaps attributable to the high level of "eduction" -Phd which we are lucky to have accreditted to our Dear president, who doent appear to know his left from his right as far as ruling a country is concerned. That is south and that is fresh air for you - let all the northerners be sacked from all government employment and services perhaps things will improve.

dear mr.president please do not let any double standard minded and back stabing schamer confuse you with their misleading intensions in other to creat even worse situation between you and your team,the same cos the same people will be the first to jump and try to win the support of your enemies in secret.obasanjo should learn stop playing this dangerous game of always using any means to turn people against each other in secret only to come out in the open to claim states man,that is sheer hypocricy of him and he has been playing that shamful game for too long. mr. president do what is right and dont take advice from any 419er,if you see that somebody is not up the task then releive him/her of their position but please dont let obasanjo use you to settle any score or compensate anyone because that man does not mean any good to nigeria and nigerians in general and beware of forces of darkness in disguise.

OBJ was the one who killed the sultan of sokoto in a plane crash! Guys remember all the mysterious plane crashes that happened that year? Including the one that wiped out the then top military officers?

This mur'fucken emir is a rat to obasanjo.Chimaroke insulted OBJ though he appologised in less than 48 hrs , he lost cosmo fm!IBB insulted obj and appologised within few days! Tinubu should ask himself why.We are seeing the last days of the nation newspaper, bet me.

Naija peoples and tribalism and ethnic sentiments!!!!! Well if it is lie Obj sent it then the emirs complain never happened as they fall under one story teller.Mean while if its true, then what else do you expect from such wicked cabals that won't let peace be.Trying to confuse and dsitract the government.For those who feel anything can go especially bad ,when it comes to northerners!Back at you too

Just wondering, if Buhari were president, would OBJ have the effrontery to write letters like this to him? Oh I forgot, the present guy here is not so smart to make "head of state" decisions.

tiny drops of water makes a mighty ocean.words of advice pal. when making statements like this, remove any thing that can make anyone track you down, i mean links through your signatures. you know times can become so bad we cant tell.